A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

Possessive pronouns can be used in two ways: i) as proform for the possessor or ii) as proform for both the possessor and the thing possessed. In the former case, so-called attributive possessives accompany and modify a noun; in the latter, so-called substantival possessives function as independent nominal elements. Note that the two usages do not correspond to two distinct sets of lexical forms in LIS. Therefore, this distinction is not relevant to the present section. To read more about the distribution of attributive and substantival possessives, see SYNTAX 4.2.

            Possessive pronouns in LIS can be realised with two different handshapes: poss(G) and poss(5). In some contexts, some LIS signers may express possession by means of regular personal pronouns (LEXICON 3.7.2) as well. In this section, we focus on poss(G) and poss(5), which differ both phonologically and semantically.

            poss(G) is articulated with G handshape and repeated movement directed toward the locus associated with the possessor. The example below shows a first-person possessive.

 

 

 

            poss(G)₁

            ‘Mine’

 

Two semantically equivalent variant forms are available for second-person and third-person possessor. The first option is characterised by downward palm orientation and wrist pivoting from radial to ulnar, as shown below.

 

 

 

            a.         poss(G)_2-pivoting

            ‘Yours’

 

 

 

            b.         poss(G)_3-pivoting

            ‘His/hers’

                       

The second possibility is characterised by upward metacarpus orientation, does not involve any wrist movement, and heads the ulnar part of the hand toward the possessor, as shown below.

 

 

 

            a.         poss(G)_{2-non-pivoting}

            ‘Yours’

           

 

 

            b.         poss(G)_{3-non-pivoting}

            ‘His/hers’

 

The possessive realised with 5 handshape, poss(5), is usually perceived by signers as a more marked type of possessive and it is used to remark the concept of ownership. For more details on the usage of the two types of possessives in context, the reader is referred to SYNTAX 4.2. The sign poss(5) is realised with unspread 5 handshape articulated with abducted thumb and repeated movement directed toward the locus associated with the possessor. The palm of the hand is oriented toward the same locus. The three examples below show poss(5) referring to a first-person (a), a second-person (b), and a third-person possessor (c).

 

 

 

            a.         poss(5)₁

            ‘Mine’

 

 

 

            b.         poss(5)₂

            ‘Yours’

 

 

 

            c.         poss(5)₃

            ‘His/hers’

 

Both poss(G) and poss(5) are defective possessives since they lack plural forms. The meanings of ours, yours, and theirs are conveyed by suppletive forms, such as the first-person, second-person, and third person plural pronouns (LEXICON 3.7.2.2). Alternatively, the movement component of the possessive can be reduplicated at distinct locations lying along an arc. This articulation conveys not only numerousness, but also distributivity. An illustrative example is provided below.

 

 

 

            poss(5)_2pl-distr

            ‘Yours (of each of you)’